Johnstown Fulton Co Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Johnstown, New York 12095
Tuesady, May 26, 1992 22:23 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT TURNED ONTO FINAL APPROACH FOR A LANDING AFTER COMPLETING A VFR NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS LOWERED AND FULL FLAPS WERE SELECTED. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HIS AIRSPEED 'DROPPED TO 80 KNOTS' WHILE HE WAS ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AT WHICH TIME HE ADDED MORE POWER TO 'KEEP MY NOSE UP'. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT MISJUDGED ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE WHICH RESULTED IN A LANDING UNDERSHOOD. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS NIGHT CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2223
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JOHNSTOWN
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12095
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JOHNSTOWN FULTON CO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NY27
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 300
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1000 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID SCH
Elevation of weather observation facility 285
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2053
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46845
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9541M
NTSB Number BFO92LA075
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 24 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 2984
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH BENANTO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 220 FOREST AVE
Aircraft Owner City AMSTERDAM
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12010
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOESPH BENANTO/JOHN A. PEPE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 216 WEST MAIN STREET
Operator City AMSTERDAM
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 12010
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GTN
Departure City GROTON
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 2100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --